The present invention relates to iron type golf clubs and in particular to a balanced set of golf clubs.
The game of golf is played by a wide variety of different players having different physical and golf swing characteristics. Because of these differences traditionally conventional sets of golf clubs are balanced using a number of variables in order to fit the particular physical and swing characteristics of particular golfers. Such variables include things such as length of the club, the weight of the club, the flexibility of the shaft, the shape and size of the club head, the swing weight of the club and the location of the center of gravity using various weighting techniques.
All of these variables relate to the “feel” of the golf club as it is used to execute a golf swing to hit a golf ball to an intended target. Once the physical size of the club, such as length and weight, is determined, golf clubs are normally balanced by adjusting the swing weight of each of the clubs so they are matched throughout the entire set. The swing weight is a variable that relates to the way the mass of the club head is distributed in the club and how the club feels as the club is swung while executing a golf swing. The center of gravity is a parameter not usually matched in a set of golf clubs.
In the traditional method of balancing golf clubs, each golf club has its own unique length, balance point, lie angle, loft, weight and other subtleties that make each club different and require a golfer to adjust and learn as many as eight to ten different golf swings in order to make a repeatable golf swing for each club. For example, the clubs designed to hit a ball the farthest distances are longer than the clubs designed to hit the golf ball shorter distances. A shortcoming of this design is that the longer clubs are typically harder to use to make solid contact with the golf ball, primarily because the swing path or arc is longer.
Prior art golf clubs that have the same swing weight, same mass and same length are known in the art. It is a common practice to use wedges of the same length in a set of golf clubs.
An attempt to create a balanced set of golf clubs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,103 to Nix which is directed to a matched golf club set wherein all clubs in a class of either irons or woods have equal shaft length, equal lie angle, equal swing weight and equal total weight.
The Tommy Armour Company marketed a complete set of clubs that are the same size under the trade name Equalizers where each club in the set was the length of a conventional 6 iron. Single length irons have also been marketed under the trade name 1 Irons. Simpleton Golf is presently marketing a set of golf clubs formed of two combinations of clubs where each club in the combination is essentially the same except for the loft angle and loft progressions. While the merits of a single swing mechanic for an entire set appeared promising, the diverse specifications of 6 iron length for the high lofted irons and wedges and a six iron length for the longer and mid irons was found to be too difficult for most golfers to control and effectively use to hit consistent golf shots. Neither the Nix patent nor the prior art products considered the use of a set formed of a minimum of two combinations of identical clubs or providing a matched, precise location of the center of gravity for all clubs in a combination or the unique loft and club length progressions needed to produce the yardage spacing found in traditional golf club sets.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,329 to Schneebeli that shows matched putter and chipper golf clubs that are identical in weight, length, balance and feel.